Strap On Boss Leaking

[imroberts]

The condensation discharge pipe from my boiler is leaking significantly where it enters the soil stack. It appears to be connected with a fairly cheap looking strap-on boss similar to the following:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/431959

I gather these are fairly prone to leaks and, looking at the design, I can see why.

Rather than just refit this, seal it or replace this with something similar, is there a better product that is less prone to leaks?

 

[Madrab]

The one in the pic and most others have to be solvent welded onto the soil stack. Design is pretty much standard. If the solvent weld has been done correctly (pipe cleaned and roughen up prior to solvent added) and the proper pipe seal for the size of pipe has been used, then all should be fine and there should be no leaks.
Sounds like yours hasn't been. Where is it leaking? At the rubber seal that the pipe fits into or from around the boss itself where it meets the soil pipe?

 

[imroberts]

I'm not sure if I'm honest, as I need to get the ladders to actually see it properly. I'd just hoped if there was a better design of boss that I could buy it beforehand.

If it's leaking from the rubber seal that the pipe fits into, I'm guessing it's easiest just to replace this with a new one?

If it's leaking from the joint between the boss and the soil pipe, am I best removing it if I can and refitting, or installing a new one? If it's partially welded but still leaking from that joint, what are my options?

 

[jackthom]

I'd take a closer look first. Depending on where it's leaking, the condensate pipe may just need to extend a little further through into the fitting.

 

[Madrab]

Was it leaking previously or is this a new installation?

 

[imroberts]

I can't say. The boiler was installed nearly a year ago but due to renovation work hasn't been used until last week.

So I can't say whether it's always leaked or whether it's only started recently.

I'll have a proper look at the weekend and figure out what's wrong

 

[imroberts]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

I took this off at the weekend and found the boss hadn't actually been sealed to the soil pipe so was leaking from that joint. So I bought some solvent cement and refitted it and now all is well.

Glad it was a simple job.

As an aside, how far should the 32mm pipe go? Should it run into the rubber boss adaptor and stop, or should it protrude past this and into the soil pipe itself? Mine runs upto the inside edge of the rubber seal and stops. It crossed my mind that if it were a couple of inches longer and ran into the soil pipe itself it wouldn't have mattered that the boss was leaking. I'm not sure whether this is good practice or whether the inside of the soil pipe should be kept clear?

 

[GavThePlumber]

Not to far in, it is on a gradient anyway and you don't want to block the pipe at all.